Republic of Molossia petitions White House for independence

The season of secession petitions is still in full swing. The Republic of Molossia, a micronation, has petitioned the White House for Independence. Molossia is the home and yard of Mr. Kevin Baugh of Nevada, completely surrounded by the USA.

Baugh declared his personal property, located in a "scorched corner of the Nevada desert," a micronation, appointed himself president in 1998 and placed signs to mark his borders. At the 10th anniversary of the Molossia in 2008, The Chicago Tribune reported that the nation has its own currency pegged on the value of chocolate-chip cookie dough, a space program (model size) and a railroad (model size). In spite of the fact that the nation is landlocked in a desert region, it has a navy (a single inflatable boat). The national sport is broomball, and it maintains its own Facebook page.

The only building in Molossia is its Government House which The Chicago Tribune describes as "a modest homestead with beige wood siding, pink rose bushes in the garden and a large decorative M (for Molossia) on the front facade."

A sign at the border post, which has a customs shack, and a white-blue-and-green flag, says:

"MOLOSSIA: YOU ARE NO LONGER IN UNITED STATES TERRITORY. MOLOSSIAN PASSPORT AND CUSTOMS LAWS APPLY."

In 2006, a writer who visited Molossia, in an interview published in NPR, voted Molossia as the "the most delightful micronation on Earth." According to the Lonely Planet writer, Molossia was Baugh's personal hobby "taken to the Nth degree."

Molossia began as a childhood hobby launched in 1977 by Kevin and his friend James. The project was inspired by a movie, "The Mouse That Roared." According to The Chicago Tribune, the movie is a Cold War satire about a tiny country that invaded the U.S.

"...they drew up maps and cut money from typing paper. Baugh's mother stitched a flag. James eventually lost interest and moved on, but Baugh kept running his country. He went through several names before settling on Molossia, after an ancient Greek kingdom.

"The young country-builder grew up, got married and had two children. In 1998, the family moved to Dayton, Nev., where Baugh decided to bring Molossia to life. He raised a flag, erected signs, created a Web site, wrote an anthem, produced honorary passports and -- like any good despot -- began printing money (bearing his image, of course)."

Baugh has petitioned the White House for independence of The Republic of Molossia, and according to Mashable, the petition had received 180 signatures by noon Friday. The petition reads:

"WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

Grant recognition to the Republic of Molossia as a presidential republic in free association with the United States.

The Republic of Molossia is a micronation, located within and surrounded by the United States. We seek to enter into a Compact of Free Association with the United States, as a step toward eventual complete sovereignty. We recognize and respect the United States as the home country from which Molossia was born in 1977, and wish to continue and formalize our current peaceful and fruitful relationship. Engaging in a Compact of Free Association will prove beneficial to both nations and enable our peoples to enter a new era of growth and prosperity."

Mashable notes that the current leadership of Molossia does not evince hostility to the Untied States as the other petitioners from the states that have submitted secession petitions. As far as Baugh is concerned, Molossia has been an independent nation since 1998. His petition is merely to formalize the "current peaceful and fruitful relationship" with the Untied States.

But in spite of the observation, Mashable still warns: "U.S. officials may wish to be wary of this seemingly peaceful claim, however. Molossia has apparently been at war with the now-defunct East Germany since 1983 and Baugh was briefly ousted from leadership by the nation of Kickassia in 2010."